The Last Election - Andrew Yang & Stephen Marche
Akashic Books, Ltd.
256 Pages
With a presidential election looming in just a few short weeks, it was only fitting that The Last Election by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche would be reviewed today. Andrew Yang ran for president in 2020 as a third party candidate, so he has some real world experience with which to base his novel. In a time where people question everything, especially things they think they understand, but really struggle with, this novel is a scary look at what could happen if we’re not diligent.
A crucial election is facing the United States. The future of the republic hinges on the results of this next election. That same mantra has been repeated every four years, with the same result. And every four years, nothing changes. Half the country cries wolf after every election. How will this election be any different? Andrew Yang delivers another view of the next election. Behind the scenes, the political atmosphere is something that can barely be written about without thinking it’s obviously fake. Unfortunately, the truth can be stranger than fiction.
Mikey Ricci is a political insider who has become disillusioned with the game. However, he has seen incredible potential in a third-party candidate and decides to help run the campaign. As the candidate gathers steam with the public, it appears that the candidate could grab some electoral votes to upset the two-party system. The entrenched powers do not like this, and investigative reporter, Martha Cass uncovers a nefarious plot by the nation’s military leaders to overthrow the legitimate election and leadership.
As the campaign unfolds, it appears more and more that there may be an upset in the making. But will the people in the shadows allow that to happen? With the election heating up, the action in the book picks up the pace. Opposing forces spin tighter webs behind the scenes to draw the action directly into their hands. They will achieve their goals at any cost and a third-party candidate stealing the focus from the two major parties will be enough of a distraction for their takeover attempts to succeed.
This novel was short, but it packed a lot of punch into those 256 pages. As the momentum in the election grew, so did the tension. The conspiracy to overthrow the government through a coup was far too realistic. The narrative makes you question everything you think you know about how the government is run. If you’ve ever watched “House of Cards” on Netflix and wondered if any of that story could ever happen with our leaders, this book will make you question even more.
In a time when everyone is questioning the legitimacy of our elections, this book will bring even more questions. Could any of this really happen? If you’re interested in peek behind the curtain, The Last Election by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche deliver a believable glimpse at our election process. We can only hope that it’s not as dark and dastardly as Yang and Marche have written. Both sides of the line are equally reprehensible, both in this story and in reality. It is up to us to keep our leaders in line.
The Last Election by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche is a short, yet impactful thriller that explores the tenuous state of our government. Separating truth from fiction can be difficult, if not impossible with this novel. There’s a lot of action packed into these pages. You will enjoy reading it. And maybe get a bit angry, angry enough to participate with your democratic privileges.
Craig Bacon loves the political process. Reading about what could happen intrigues him. This book scares him with its possibilities.